Perak records increase in COVID-19 cases requiring critical care - Health DG

IPOH: Perak has recorded an increase in COVID-19 categories 4 and 5 cases requiring treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), said Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

As of yesterday, there were 121 COVID-19 patients in Perak who were being treated in the ICU with an average rate of seven days of ICU bed use exceeding 100 per cent.

"The Perak Health Department, in collaboration with the state government and various agencies, is actively making preparations to face the sharp increase in COVID-19 cases which is expected to occur in the next two to three weeks," he said.

He said this in a posting on his Facebook account, with several pictures taken during his working visit to Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital (HRPB) Ipoh, Taiping Hospital, Tapah Hospital and Slim River Hospital yesterday.

An operation room has been set up to ensure the availability of beds to treat COVID-19 patients in the state and a total of 223 ward beds and 42 ICU beds have been reserved for COVID-19 treatment at HRPB which started treating the pandemic patients in January last year.

Taiping Hospital, which started treating COVID-19 patients in March last year, has experienced an increase in the number of COVID-19 patients since the end of June.

"A total of 237 new cases have been reported in Larut, Matang and Selama district of which 175 cases are recorded in Mukim Taiping.

"Preparations are being made to face the increase in COVID-19 cases which is expected to peak in the next two to three weeks. The cooperation of all parties is important in facing the bitter battle ahead," he said.

He said that a total of five wards with a capacity of 120 beds and 16 ICU beds have been reserved for COVID-19 treatment at Taiping Hospital thus far.

Meanwhile, in Tapah Hospital, which has been treating COVID-19 patients since November last year, there are 100 beds and out of that total, 28 beds have been reserved for COVID-19 treatment.

"Cumulatively, as of June, 527 COVID-19 patients have been treated at this hospital. In addition, this hospital also provides health services for the COVID-19 Quarantine and Low-risk Treatment Centre (PKRC) at Tapah Prison," he said.

Preparations are also being made to face the increase in COVID-19 cases at Slim River Hospital which also received referrals of COVID-19 cases categories 3 to 5 from Selangor, especially from PKRC Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) and Petaling district COVID-19 Assessment Centre (CAC).

Slim River Hospital which has been treating COVID-19 patients since April last year, has a capacity of 250 beds of which 69 ward beds and four ICU beds (repurposed) that have been reserved for COVID-19 treatment.

-- BERNAMA